Fire of A New Dawn
by Dancing On Starlight's Melody
Summary: As Dawnpaw walks the life of a normal apprentice, hunting, training, picking ticks for the elders...but many difficult choices lie ahead of her, and even one she might not be able to face—and could it be a specific tom? But each new dawn holds new promises for Dawnpaw, and when a dark shadow of mistrust weaves it's way into her life, she has to put everything she loves at risk.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hai guys. I'm Spire if you don't know me and this is my very first fanfiction; and I'm super excited. :3 And as well, R&R, and especially review! ;) And I won't waste your time with a looong Author's Note, so here is the chapter! **

**Also, a warning, my updating schedules are incredibly uneven, so I might do two chapters in a day, or less than one in a month, so beware, but I shall try best to please all readers! :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors; Erin Hunter does.**

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The first feeling she had was warmth. A sweet scent wreathed around her and she snuggled closer to it, reaching for it, longing for it. It was silent, and dark, but her heart filled with peace, love and pure happiness. She felt warm bodies curled by her, safe and sound.

Cold air rushed into her tiny lungs, and freezing air slapped harshly against her, making her feel colder than ever. A tongue rasped gently over her, and warmth came back into her veins again.

in that one moment of peaceful darkness in the world, she felt a soft mossy nest under her, and she moved closer to the warmth, suckling against the soft furred belly.

But that was shattered, and she knew that when heat and pain seared against her flank, and she could only take short breaths raggedly, the life starting to seep slowly out of her. She knew when she could not feel herself, or anything around.

And she knew that when she heard screams of terror and more, burning searing pain along her flank. It was pain she had never experienced before, as the pain seemed to burn straight thought herself, and she could feel her blood was on fire. But she was a fighter. She was a warrior. She would live, and fight this pain, but she could not. Her body was heavy with exhaustion, and she let it be. This was the destiny StarClan laid for her.

She could hear agonized, pained yowls coming from someone, and suddenly she knew it was her own screams. And that jarred her to life.

When darkness gave way to light.

The dark night was pierced with shafts of white light rising on the horizon, and she saw what would haunt her for the rest of eternity. The light was glowing, like hope reaching towards her, and the darkness dimmed.

Hungry flames of scarlet licked up the forest, and the sweet scent was back again, but different. "I name you Heatherkit after my own mother, for you become as motherly and kind as she was." There was a ragged pause, as the cat gasped for a little for a little more time. "I name you Dawnkit after the fire of the last dawn I will see, for you to burn brighter and blaze farther than I did. Please tell Stormspots not to grieve. I will always watch over you. StarClan will always be by your side. Have faith." The sweet scent's weak sounding, ragged voice whispered, and she felt the scent slowly fading, becoming unfamiliar. As Dawnkit saw, a silver furred she-cat looked at her with peaceful, dying eyes. They sparked with a bit more of light, but finally; she saw, as they dimmed, forever.

It was no longer warm, not reaching towards her but still and carrying a strange scent. And yet the flames advanced. The smell of ash and cinder filled her nose, and she coughed weakly as smoke rose in wisps from the trees. The yowls, the broken cries of fury and the terrifying scream. But the sweet scent was gone, she knew that now, and she could feel herself disappearing.

Suddenly, all of the pain disappeared. A beautiful lush green forest spread in her sight, as far as she could see, ending in the horizon of the starry night sky and sweet, but unfamiliar scents of swaying wildflowers and fresh summer grass covered in a sheen frosty layer of sparkling dew. Scents of fresh forest and a long, winding path lead upwards, to the deep of the night. A brook bubbled with a rhythmic song, as it splashed quietly against the stones, and the sound comforted

Breezes gently tickled and ruffled her pelt and the warm feeling was back again. The pain slowly ebbed away, like a snake slithering out of her and she felt stronger than ever. Hesitantly, she placed an paw down on the glittering emerald grass and the overnight sky shimmered with the shapes of cats and she began to make her way towards them, to the sweet scent. Her eyes drifted over to the sky again and this time, with no hesitation, she ran.

Faster than ever. She ran with all her might, and felt the wind whistling by her ears as the wind blew against her ginger pelt. But it seemed she would never get there. She had endless energy, her body leaping and running gracefully.

As she ran, her eyes took in the beautiful sight, of starry cats stepping out of the sky, out of Silverpelt, her heart filled with peace and her small body sparked with energy pumping into her muscles, and blood flowing hot in her veins.

But that was gone again. A flash, and she was instantly blinded, and when her eyes fluttered open again, the beautiful forest was gone. Instead, a darkness closed her in while a long shadow came to reveal a dark, starless sky, no line between her and a towering dark, dark forest. She felt as if the pain and broken cries came back, and dark, hungry crimson advanced. Crimson spilled from her pelt, but she could feel the pain starting to come back, and more raw and hard; as if it never left her.

"Dawnkit, you will walk a path no other has and see what no cat has. Your life will be hard, but the fire in your heart will and the first dawnlight of new beginnings will blossom in your soul. That is what we have given you." A dark shadow's voice whispered in her ear and that was the last thing she heard before a dizzying pain overpowered her.

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**So, that's it! Tell me what you think in a review or PM, because they all truly make my day. :) And... cliffy! *evil grin* You'll find out in the next chapter.**

**~Spire**


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors. Erin Hunter does.**

Light. Light was flowing in from a entrance in the cozy seeming den. It was a beautiful sight, the warm sunlight pooling in a golden buttery haze around the entrance. A gentle breeze caused the ferns at the entrance to billow and sway, like dancing leaves. The perfect cerulean sky was dotted with thin, cottony white clouds and the forest scents drifted in, the lush wilderness spreadind far from her sight, the tall majestic trees stopping at the edge of the sky. That was what Dawnkit first saw, when her eyes fluttered open, with a hint of blurry vision that faded soon after. It was unfamiliar, but it seemed to be warm and welcoming, with the heavy scent of herbs wreathing around her, and the smell of two strange cats as they approached, speaking in quiet voices as their soft pawsteps neared and became louder.

Slightly frightened by the sound of their voices, Dawnkit shut her eyes again, and sank deeper into the soft mossy nest, hopefully unnoticed.

The two cats came straight to her, and one of them began to gently apply a flowery smelling mixture to her flank, and she had to bite her lip from the small jets of pain that shot through her. "I will not let you die. Mistbreeze did not die in vain." A tight, controlled voice gritted from above her, but Dawnkit could detect the painful anger and hard determination behind the seemingly emotionless voice. Their warm breath gently blew against Dawnkit's ear, and a flowery, tangy, but sweet smelling scent clung to her pelt, like the herb smell. A strange, different scent, but it did not seem dangerous.

"Nightleaf." A more gentle, calm-sounding voice soothed quietly. "Mistbreeze did not die in vain; she died for what she loved most. Her kits, her Clan. Dawnkit will pull through. She was not meant to die. I feel it in my blood."

When Dawnkit heard her name; it seemed safe enough for her to open her eyes, her eyes opened slowly, the vision was blurry at first, but became more focused as the two strangers came insight. A silver tabby she-cat with white paws and a dark tortoishell she-cat: as she struggled to sit up, both strangers eyes shone with a brilliant light. A stiff, dry pain was in her flank, and she silently cursed her heavy, unwilling body.

They both stared at her, and Dawnkit self consciously looked down at her pelt, which was dark ginger and white and slightly matted from sleep, with little pieces of moss stuck; but she didn't see anything too abnormal about herself.

The tortoishell she-cat first stepped forward, her eyes glowing with a light even more beautiful than the one flowing in as she sat down infront of Dawnkit.

"My name is Nightleaf. I'm the medicine cat of ThunderClan." She introduced herself, and as Dawnkit made another useless effort to sit up, a sudden jab of pain shocked herself. A little yelp of surprise escaped her mouth, and Nightleaf leapt up urgently towards her, and checked her side, which was stiff with poultices and herbs. Nightleaf gave her side a quick clean in long strokes, and the poultice flaked off, and a dry, raw-looking new red scar with no ginger fur came into her sight, and Dawnkit winced slightly before looking away. The silver tabby scrunched in a horriyingly hilarious face, and Nightleaf twitched her whiskers in amusement.

"I'm Silvermist. I'm a new queen." The silver tabby added, as Nightleaf carefully arranged some fresh, cooling poultice on her side again. Dawnkit nodded, and as Nightleaf finished, she could barely feel her small body.  
All of a sudden, her stomach growled, and Dawnkit looked down with embarrassment, as Nightleaf purred, and Silvermist gave her an affectionate lick on her ear, which made Dawnkit shy away a little, but Silvermist didn't seem to notice. She felt hungry, and hollow, as if there was nothing in her stomach at all.

"Let's get you to the nursery. Featherwing still has milk. Can she eat fresh-kill-" Silvermist begn to ask, as Nightleaf busied herself with arrays of herbs and leaves. The neat den was spotless, but Nightleaf still whirlwinded around the den.

"No!" Nightleaf suddenly jerked her head up from the stack of herbs she was sorting though, and leapt in front of Dawnkit, her fur stood on end, and her unusually blazing protective amber eyes scared Dawnkit a little. She mostly saw Nightleaf as a very calm, collected, reasonable cat, but this was different from anything else she'd seen. She made a mental note never to argue with Nightleaf.

"Alright, sorry Nightleaf." Silvermist muttered, her friendly blue eyes a little unsure and she backed away slowly from the den. It was obvious that Nightleaf was one of the most respected cats in the Clan.  
Nightleaf just sighed, and her fur flattened down a little and her tense shoulders relaxed a bit, but her amber eyes still held the fire. "I just think it would be better if she stayed here for a while. She still is fragile, and I don't want anything wrecking that. Besides, I promised Mistbreeze." Nightleaf explained, and memories misted up her now soft amber eyes. Dawnkit liked Nightleaf immensely, because of everything, her attitude, the way she always was patient with others.

"Nightleaf?" A small white-and-silver cat appeared in the entrance of the den. "Are you there?" The voice was quiet and shy, but still sweet.  
"Come in, Icepaw." Nightleaf called absentmindedly before she went back into the back of the den, and began to look through the collections of herbs. As the white cat cme in, Dawnkit could she was younger and smaller than Nightleaf, and had a fluffy looking snowy white pelt and frosty blue eyes like Silvermist.

"Dawnkit!" She exclaimed, dropping the bundle of green stems onto the den floor, and her eyes were friendly and held slight surprise, that obviously Icepaw was trying to force back. She bounded over to her, and her eyes gleamed with a mischevious look as she gave Dawnkit a gentle sistery paw swipe on the ear. Even being smaller than Nightleaf, she was still so much larger than Dawnkit. Her soft looking pelt was thick and shiny, and well groomed that Dawnkit was ashamed of her matted ginger pelt with scraps of her nest in her pelt.

Nightleaf looked over warningly at the two of them and cleared her throat. "Icepaw, be gentle with Dawnkit. She's still young." Icepaw nodded obediently, and she hurried back to were she dropped the stems and carried it over to Nightleaf and began deftly, with expertise, to strip off the dry dead leaves with a swift swipe of her paw. Suddenly, Dawnkit's stomach rumbled, and Dawnkit looked down with embarassment as Icepaw paused in her leaf-stripping to purr and Nightleaf just shook her head affectionately.  
"Silvermist, can you fetch Featherwing? I think she still has milk and her kits are eating fresh-kill now. If not, get Rainpetal. And Icepaw, go tell Blizzardstar, he'll be overjoyed. I'll finish up this. Oh, and Silvermist, get Heatherkit. She'll want to meet her sister." Silvermist gave Nightleaf a nod as goodbye and slipped out of the den, and Icepaw looked ready to protest, but Nightleaf's voice was firm, so she obeyed and left quietly.

She had a sister? That was all she heard when Nightleaf gave out the instructions. Wanting to look nice, she began to groom her front paws, and tried hard to reach her fur on her back.  
Nightleaf twitched her whiskers in amusement, but got up from her spot where she was putting the stems into a cleft in the wall, and helped Dawnkit groom the back.

A another silvery she-cat appeared in the doorway, Silvermist, and a dark gray tom, and a small brown pelted kit in his mouth. Nightleaf motioned for them to come in, and the dark gray tom approaced first, his yellow eyes shining at Dawnkit as he entered and he made Dawnkit feel safe and warm. The kit he clutched in his mouth a light brown tabby she-cat.

"Dawnkit, meet Stormspots; your father, Heatherkit; your sister, and Featherwing." Silvermist annouced, and the kit in her father's mouth came down as her father lowered his body, and Dawnkit watched as she padded towards her.

"Dawnkit!" She mewed enthusiatically; then bounding over to her and gave her a kind lick on the ear. "I wish I was staying with you. This place is so cool!" Heatherkit's round blue eyes looked around in wonder, and Nightleaf and Icepaw exchanged glances before purring. Dawnkit just twitched her whiskers amusedly and gave her sister a playful paw swipe, just like Icepaw did to her.

"I hope we'll be good warriors." Dawnkit told Heatherkit; who made herself comfortable next to her. "I hope we'll have good mentors. What if I'm not good at anything?" Dawnkit worried, and Heatherkit just simply licked her cheek in comfort, and the gesture calmed her, and Dawnkit snuggled closer for warmth.

Stormspots padded over o them and gave them each a lick on the head. "You'll make great warriors." He reassured both of them, and added. "I'm proud of both of you." The few, simple words made Dawnkit feel warm and tingly on the inside, and she wanted to something to impress him. Pride washed over her, and her stomach didn't feel as hollow as it did before.  
Instead, it felt full of warmth, as if she had a good sleep and some food to fill her stomach. Her father looked at her with warm, fatherly yellow eyes, and Dawnkit met his gaze bravely, and he nodded encouragingly.

As Dawnkit slowly shifted hersef to a upright position, the wound didn't hurt as much, and she took this as a sign to try and stand up and Nightleaf stood by her, watching her intently incase she needed help. Heatherkit quickly scooted over to give her room.  
Rising onto her hindpaws, and she saw her pelt, despite being smooth, scraps of moss were still strewn abut when she tried, and her legs pushed and heaved up her body clumsily, and she fell to the ground again. She gritted her teeth as the cats exchanged glances of symapthy.  
But she could do it. She would show them, she vowed.

As Dawnkit pushed more energy in her hind legs, and her determination kept her up for a few seconds, but not too long, and Dawnkit saw her father starting to speak. "Maybe you should-"

"No!" It was Heatherkit and Dawnkit at once this time. Both of them glared at their father with small fierce eyes, and a tight bond seemed to keep them closer than ever. Heatherkit's usually sweet, compassionate gaze was hard as it met Dawnkit's fiery green one, and it told her. _You can do it, sister. Have faith in your self worth. __  
_That gave Dawnkit new energy to try again.

"They're fighters, Stormspots. Let them be." Silvermist purred, and Featherwing's whiskers twitched in amusement, while Stormspots simply flicked his ears in acknowledgement, his eyes never leaving his daughters.

Nightleaf grabbed her scruff softly and began to help up gently and Dawnkit stumbled wile trying to steady herself. Her paws failed under her, and she nearly slipped on a stray piece of moss and Nightleaf growled, as Dawnkit pulled her heavy body again, and Nightleaf let go slowly, and as she put down her paws onto the soft floor of the den.

Her legs still felt wobbly and like lead, but determination kept her up, and standing. The joyous faces of her Clan and the cheers sparked energy into her completely. She felt power ripple through her once weak body.  
Nightleaf, Silvermist, Stormspots, Featherwing and especially, Heatherkit. Her sister's eyes were shining like no tomorrow, and they only met today. Stormspots's yellow eyes glowed like StarClan, and even in the silvery pool of moonlight that flowed through the entrance, and Silverpelt glittered bright and spread far, as if they saw them, and starry cats leapt with grace aross the night sky, they were still brighter.

"A true warrior." A tall, lean white tom like Icepaw appeared in the doorway, and Dawnkit could tell it was the leader of the Clan Nightleaf was talking about. His eyes seemed to drill straight into Dawnkit, and the praise of the leader made er stand tall, and she met his gaze with no hesitantion. His voice was deep and his green gaze never lingered off of Dawnkit.

"Dawnkit!" Nightleaf yowled, and Stormspots, Blizzardstar, and Silvermist joined in. "Dawnkit!" The medicine cat den was filled with yowls of joy, as each cat added to the yowl. "Dawnkit!" Cats of the Clan gathered in the medicine den, and all of them, with no hesitantion, joined. Eyes that gleamed bright than above shined at her, and her heart settled with peace. This was where she belonged. The taste of starlight lingered, cold and icy on her tongue, but she had never felt warmer. She felt the sweet scent she loved whirl around her and it raised her heart to feel it around her again. Even the cats of Silverpelt seemed to sing in melodious, clear voices towards her with thousands of voices in her mind. But only one stood above them all.

The one in her heart. The one that told her.

I will defend this Clan with my life and I will fight until my last breath.  
I will stand tall and never look down.  
I will never give up on my Clan.  
I am a warrior.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry, sorry, sorry! I haven't gotten much inspiration for this chapter, so it's going to be not as intense as the others, but a tad of fluff! :3 As always, enjoy, my readers! Special thanks go to Phoenix Obilvion, my beta-reader for all the help, and all of my reviewers. Love, love you all! :D**

**-Spire**

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"Please can I go outside?" Dawnkit begged Nightleaf, who was sorting stacks of comfrey. "Heatherkit and Petalkit are outside!" Dawnkit stole a envious glance at the kits who were busy play-fighting, and she forced herself to look away. "Besides, you had to _plead _Heatherkit to go out and not help you with the comfrey!" She added stubbornly, wriggling uncomfortably in her warm nest.

"No, but Heatherkit wasn't injuried badly in the" She paused abruptly to put emphasis last word "_fire._" She spat the last word out, hissing, her eyes laced with hatred; but behind the hard look, Dawnkit could feel Nightleaf's anguish, to wail like a newborn kit, forever alone.

As Dawnkit stole another quick glance at her, she noticed the tortoiseshell medicine cat was growing awfully thin, and her bones jutted out of her dull pelt in sharp outlines of her lithe body. Her pelt was hastily groomed and her amber eyes were rimmed with white, losing the usual glowing light to them.

"Sorry." Dawnkit muttered. "For nagging you." It was unbelievably hard for her to say it, and she swallowed the thick lump her throat that made her want to throw herself onto Nightleaf and let out all the wretched misery that had been tearing at her for sunrise after sunrise.

"It's alright." Nightleaf's amber eyes were dark, clouded with an undetectable emotion, but she gave Dawnkit a lick on her ear and went back to sorting herbs quietly.

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**_~A Quarter Moon Later~_**

As Dawnkit awoke to the rhythmic sound of soft snoring coming from beside her, and then she realized it was Heatherkit. Her sister was comfortably curled up next to her in a temporary nest clumped with some moss and bracken as she snuggled closer, and she felt Featherwing's soft gray fur on her stomach rise and lower as she breathed deeply. Dawnkit shut her eyes again, but she didn't feel drowsy at all. She slowly shifted to a different position, being careful not to disturb Heatherkit or Featherwing, who were both still dozing peacefully. Dawnkit began to rise in her nest, and Heatherkit twitched, kicking up scraps of moss and bracken, and Dawnkit flinched at the sound, but began to slowly pad away. The wound on her flank stung slightly, but the poultice must have helped because it didn't feel too painful.  
And thankfully, she didn't wake either of them, she slowly gazed around at the den, glanced out of the entrance, where amber morning light was pouring in from.

"Dawnkit?" Nightleaf's soft voice came from the nest she was curled up in. Her pale, groggy eyes swept warmly over her. Nightleaf, stretched and swiped a paw over her ear before shaking out the scraps of her nest that clung loosely to her pelt. Icepaw was still asleep, and Nightleaf padded over to her.

Dawnkit took a few hesitant steps under Nightleaf's steady amber gaze, and the wound stung a little, but didn't unsteady her too much; so she met Nightleaf's warm amber gaze steadily, and Nightleaf's ambers eyes glowed. She walked slowly to the door, and Nightleaf followed. Nightleaf checked her side again, and the wound was better, thin tufts of ginger fur already beginning to grow back, and she nodded. Dawnkit tried to turn and see it, but it was out of her sight, and she groaned as Nightleaf began to fuss over her, helping her up. Nightleaf abruptly stopped, and purred. It was a comforting sound. "You're a fast healer, Dawnkit. You might be able to run in a moon or so." A surge of pride ran through Dawnkit, and she dipped her head respectfully at Nightleaf. Dawnkit stopped at the entrance to the entire camp and she shut her eyes slowly before opening them.

The entire camp came into her sight, a golden sandy clearing, large dens of brambles and tightly woven twigs, and tall, majestic trees that bordered around the camp. Beyond that, the fiery sky spread farther than StarClan knew. Some cats padded through the clearing, interrupting Dawnkit's dreamy thoughts a little. She recognized one as her father, Stormspots, and Dawnkit's ears flicked up, as Stormspots saw her sitting at the medicine den entrance. He said something in a low voice to the patrol, and they nodded as their clear eyes glanced at her. Dawnkit shrunk a little, in embarrassment as Stormspots bounded over to her.

"Dawnkit." He gazed down at her, and he gave her ear a gentle lick. In that single heartbeat their eyes met, Dawnkit felt the warmth she felt before wash over her again, she felt her father's affection for her in his eyes. Nightleaf twitched her whiskers affectionately, and Dawnkit relaxed. It was her Clan, after all. She purred, and Stormspots stepped back to look at her again; his steady yellow gaze never leaving her.

"Can I steal her from you for a bit, Nightleaf? Let me take her to meet some of the cats of our Clan." Stormspots asked, and Nightleaf looked slightly hesitant, but nodded. Dawnkit pressed the bubbling excitement down, and swiped a licked paw over her ear quickly and gave her chest fur a few licks as a quick morning wash.

She followed her father towards his patrol, and they were lingering around a few pieces of fresh-kill. _The fresh-kill pile..._ Dawnkit thought to herself, and the four other cats all turned their gaze to Dawnkit, and suddenly she didn't feel so confident anymore. There was a golden-brown she-cat, a gray tom like he father, a white-and-silver she-cat and a mottled-looking black tom. The six of them stood in an awkward silence until Stormspots broke it.

"This is one of my daughters, Dawnkit." Stormspots annouced, and he pressed encouragingly against her. Glad for the warmth, a little more self-pride sparked into her, and she stood up taller and lined her paws infront of her neatly. The cats look curiously at her, or more, curiously at something on her side, and Dawnkit's shrank a little.

"I'm Honeysplash." The golden brown tabby she-cat said to her, and she bent down to get a better look at her, and told Stormspots. "She's a fighter, alright. You can see it in her." She felt a rush of pride run through her, and felt warmer. But there was something strange about her praise, something in her blue eyes that showed she was somewhat sad, or sorrowful for her.

"I'm Graywind." The gray tom introduced himself. "Fastest cat in the Clan." He added smugly. Dawnkit forced herself not to snort, as she dipped her head politely.

"Snowdapple." The white-and-silver she-cat glared at Graywind. "Don't listen to him. He's just a mouse-brain." She whispered into Dawnkit's ear, and Graywind simply shoved Snowdapple playfully and Snowdapple swiped at his flank.

"Now, now, if we start fighting like this in our camp, we will have no warriors left." The black tom, who was silent the entire time, spoke smoothly and had a tinge of sarcasm to his voice, and Snowdapple froze mid-swipe, and quickly shook off the dust from her now ruffled pelt before sitting up. Graywind looked embarassed and dipped his head to the ginger tom.

"I'm Ravenflight." The black tom acknowledged himself to Dawnkit, and Dawnkit nodded, and responded bravely to his deep green gaze, and he seemed impressed at Dawnkit's courage. "Now, shall we take this patrol before sun-high?" He turned to face the rest of the cats, who all nodded and Stormspots paused before giving Dawnkit a lick on the ear.

"Beautiful day, isn't it?" A familiar voice said from behind her, and Dawnkit immediately recognized it as Nightleaf, who had been standing quietly behind her, observing the entire situation. Dawnlight was spilling through the thick cover of trees, bathing the camp in pale morning sunshine. They sat silently, listening to the morning birds chirp their merry song and let the ferns sway to the bubbling song of the brook. It was peaceful and quiet, until the sun rose higher into the perfectly cerulean sky, and warriors and apprentices whisked around camp.

Finally, for what seemed like eternity, Nightleaf spoke. "I think you should meet your friends in the nursery." She glanced at the den next to hers, and two kits, a ginger tom and a gray tom there play-fighting, she padded over to them. Dawnkit followed reluctantly, the anxious feeling forming a pit in the bottom of her stomach, but she swallowed it and followed Nightleaf.

"Swiftkit, Flamekit." Nightleaf greeted the two of them, and a motherly light glimmered from the back of her eyes, and she stepped aside to reveal Dawnkit, who was behind her and tried to sit up straight, but her gaze lowered to the ground shyly. The two kits, who seemed older and stronger, stopped and shook the dust off their pelts, slightly embarassed. Dawnkit stifled a _mrrow _of amusement, and the ginger tom shuffled his paws. Their eyes weren't fixed at her, but on her side, like the warriors were, and she ducked away self-consciously, lifting a paw defensively. The gray one, named Stonekit, let out a rumbling purr at her slightly bristling fur.

"I'm Dawnkit." She felt herself relax her slightly hunched shoulders, and both of the kits nodded in acknowledgement, but it was masked by an emotion that Dawnkit couldn't see clearly. Stonekit had a mischevious look to his dark blue eyes, and Dawnkit stood there awkwardly. Suddenly, a flying gray furball pounced neatly on her and she battered her hind paws without thinking, and Stonekit's playful eyes sparkled with satisfaction, as Dawnkit shook the dust off her pelt. She liked this cat; he was fun and mischevious.  
"Does your mother know you're here?" Nightleaf asked, keeping a close eye on Dawnkit, but she felt fine, strong, and full of energy. Stonekit looked embarassed, and stepped back. Dawnkit snuck a glance at Flamekit, who was carefully watching her with quiet interest, but simply bend her head to give her chest fur a few licks, smoothing out her pelt.  
"Dawnkit! There you are!" Heatherkit came bounding up enthusiastically before the two other kits could reply, and Dawnkit touched nsoes with her sister affectionately, and as soon Heatherkit spotted Flamekit, she glared at him with blazing blue eyes, but Flamekit ignored her and replied curtly to Nightleaf.

"Hi, Heatherkit!" Stonekit called cheerfully, and Heatherkit purred as she and Stonekit touched noses, then Stonekit tucked his head in as he gave his pelt a quick lick, giving his brother a few side glances.

"Yes, Nightleaf. I told her before we came out. She's asleep now." Flamekit replied; ignoring her sister completely, and Heatherkit scowled, as if she hated his every word, but Flamekit remained calm, and politely cold to her sister.  
Dawnkit exchanged glances with Heatherkit, whose eyes burned with annoyance, but she remained distant and calm. Stonekit winced at both of them, but tried to remain a good mood, but it was obvious that Flamekit resented Heatherkit and Heatherkit resented Flamekit and that was that.

"Dawnkit, do you want me to show you around?" Flamekit turned away from Heatherkit and asked her politely, as he gave his chest fur a couple of licks.  
"Um, s-" Dawnkit began to say, and she craned her neck slightly to get a better look of the apprentices' den, which was only a bit away. Flamekit's eyes glimmered with slight amusement, and her sister flexed her claws into the soft sand and earth over and over again. Tiny half-moon crescents in the sand were clearly visible, and Dawnkit winced. _Must have been her claws. _

"I'll show her around." Heatherkit cut her off abruptly, and Dawnkit gave her sister a confused look, but her eyes told her._ I'll tell you later. But he is a arrogant, stupid, agrumentitive-_ Dawnkit quickly broke their locked gazes, and shrugged. "Maybe next time." Flamekit didn't seem disappointed, but he nodded, and Stonekit bounded over touched his nose to Dawnkit's ear in a friendly way, then Heatherkit. Dawnkit nodded farewell and followed Heatherkit, as she flicked her fluffy tail towards the bramble den. "The nursery." She mouthed, and Dawnkit limped slightly to follow her.

There was a dark brown she-cat snoring softly, and in the light, Dawnkit recognized Silvermist and another golden brown she-cat like Honeysplash.

"That's Raindapple, the one in the middle. And those kits, see? The gray one is Dewkit, and the black one is Breezekit. There's Ivyfang, and Briarkit. You don't want to mess with her." She almost laughed quietly to herself in the darkness, and Dawnkit half-smiled. "That's Cherryfrost." She pointed her tail to a sleeping ginger she-cat. "Mother to a mousebrain and another kit." She added, and Dawnkit smirked, knowing she was thinking of Flamekit.

She let out a mrrow of amusement, cuffing her sister playfully. "Mousebrain, eh?" Heatherkit knocked her over, and the two kits tumbled together in a mass of brown and ginger fur. Heatherkit battered at Dawnkit, who flinched and recoiled, before All of a sudden, Heatherkit gasped and quickly scrambled to her paws, away from Dawnkit; as if she was dangerous, and shook her pelt free of dust.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry!" Her sister squeaked, her head lowered in shame. "I didn't mean to hurt you." Dawnkit's green gaze narrowed. What was her sister talking about? She felt perfectly fine. Something at the back of her mind tugged at her, unless...

"There is something different about me, right?"

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**And... Cliffy! :3 Again, sorry for my unusual updating schedule, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! ;) Remember to review, everyone! **

**-Spire**


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